Air outlet device for ventilating apparatus



Much 4, 1958 F. J. KURTH ETAL v AIR OUTLET DEVICE FOR VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 20, 1953 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 n l/vvf/WURS FfwzzJ' M71, Fedrich/Ennerkqnlp, Leonard 12.1 s,

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' mnh/Er March 4, 1958 F, J. KURTH E14/ 2,825,274

AIR OUTLET :DEVICE FOR VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2o, 195s .f s sheets-Sheet s ilnited States Patent@ AIR OUTLET DEVICE FOR VENTILATING'.

' APPARATUS..

Franz J. Y Kurth, Mamaroneck, N. Y Y., I and Friedrich Honerkamp, West Hartford and;V Leonard R. Phillips, East Hartford,` Conn., assignors to Anemostat Corpora# tionr of America, New York,l N. Yr, acorporatidr 1 of f Delaware t Application Augustll), 1953, Serial, No.37r5,3,78,

4 Claims. (Cl.n V98-38) This invention relates to` veritilating(` apparaVitus,l and` has particular reference tor'improvementstin ai,l .Qutlet devices through Whichusupplyy airhforvheat' g, ooling. Ventilating or other purposes., is y d,eflivweredV og roqijnfs, or otherenclosures. v

111 delivering Supplyv eirinto .anenelosureitusuallyvis; desirable to eifect early mixing withA thev ,supp ly air of a considerable` proportionate/l arnount` ot thefy enclosure air in orderearly to compensate for anyvtern ferential between the supplyv 'airv andlm'thegy and thus avoid occupantsmof the enclosurel experiencing., any sensation ofV draft `due ,toi difference.,in'pternperature. betweenthe supplyair andtheenclosure air,Y

Accordingly, the primaryV object ofthe.present inf. vention isI to` provide atlgetirv outletv deviceE embody-yingg Simple. Preetieelmeens whereby any given, emeuntet. supply air delivered through hefdcyicegintogan enclosune effects quick andeiectiyemixing therewithpan exf.

ceptionally large proportionate amount of the enclosure, air.

With the foregoing and, othen object silnVietti..` asvwill, become moreV fullyy apparentasthe nature otthe invention is` better understood, thesvarney. consistsof an". air.A outlet devicew ernbodyingthe4 novelzfeatures Qfpconstruc-` tion, combination Vand ,arrangementI of partsy as-are illus-l trated by way of example -in vthe,accompanyingdrawings. and as will be hereinafter moreY fully', describedland claimed.

In the accompanying .dra-wings,l whereinliketcharacters of reference denote corresponding parts 4inz the different` views:

Fig. 1 isy aside elevationoll an ain outletadevice-cony.- structed inaccordance with the invention.v

Fig. 2 isa top planview .of the r.deyie illustrated` inf Fig. 3 isla longitudinalsection through thedevice,illus;VY trated in Figs. l and 2.

Fig. 4 is. a top plan view ofL-an alternativetorrnofuair outlet device constructed in accordance with the invert?. tion.

trated in Fig. 4. i

Fig. 6 is a topVV plan view-,of anotheralternative..formI of air outlet device constructed inaccordance withthef invention. Y

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sideelevationohthe..devicefillustratcd in Fig. 6. I

Fig. 8 is a top plan View illustrating another alternativev form of air outlet device constructed in ac cordancewith the invention.

Fig. 9 is a central,- longitudinal section throughthe device illustrtaedin Fig. 8; y

Fig* 10 is a perspective viewfof the air deti'ecting ele ment of the device illustrated inFigs. 8` and 9.

Fig. 1l is a section on the line 11-11 of vFig.8 ;'and y Fig. 12 is a fragmentaryfviewillustratingan`alternative embodiment of the airideflecting elementothe' device. A

Fig. 5. isa transverse:sectionlthroughv:the deyicefllusg.

2,825,274 Patented Man 4, l197525.

ICS

Served that the.v ele.meI.I t.-12.iS, provided. with rearwardly:

Opening supply air, receiving..ehanne1s1.4.whte are Speeed apart laterallyv relative to. each.. other to dinde.` the Supply. eir inte Separate laterally spaced apart streams., In owing into thel enclostlre these, streams have theetl feet ef. dragging, elena and. entrainina enclosure, air fromthe.Sn-'tees between them., and therebyy tending ,to createv in. saidv spaces subnormal pressures. AsU aresult.there.l occurs a constant replacement ow of lenclosure airinto the spaces. between the supply ein streams, .and .a1 eenstant entrainment Vof enclosure` air bythe,Y supply ,airv streams., As the; supplyair streams.l flow iDtO .the en?. closure Athey. expand Vanddiffuse and -creaternore or leSS;- turbulence with. the result. that `there occursa more or. less thorough. mixing Yor" the` entrained. enclosure air-.with the supplyv air inthe immediate vicinity-of the apparatus. Hence, there is afrapidcompensationfor any..temperatureV differential` between .the supply air. and -thev enclosure airr so.` that persons, occupying. the enclosure .experience little. o r no .sensation of draft even. though. there maybe acorn^A siderable ,difference in temperature .between .the supply. air and the enclosure air. v 7 'e As -illustratedin Figscl to 3. of the vdrawingsa;the channels 14vmayV be` disposed,l paralleL. oi-substantiallyyf parallel, to each; other andfmay be openatboth ends; in which .event supply. air s trearnsawillfow finy oppositey drectionsdaterally'from; the element.1g2.` On the-other,

tionally,itV may beof anyY desiredfcross sectionalV wid,th and length.v Ifthe duct 10 is-elongatedv cross skectionally, ther channels-,14 preferably will extend transversely relativeto thelonger cross sectional dimension ofy'said ductyas# illustrated; in Figs. 4 and'S/of the drawings, to insure divisionfo the supply airv into' amaximum number: of` streams of, any given widths.

Instead of the channels'1-4v being disposedtparallel,v orfl substantially paralleL'to eachother, they may radiate; from ay common .point and may extend, collectively,r` throughout 360', as illustrated'inV Figs. 6 andz7y oftthe.l drawings, whereby the supplyair. streams willvbe` delivered'v latera-llyxfromv the elementy 121 throughout 360; ternatively, said' channels, if they radiate froma'common-L point, obviously may extend, collectively. throughout-r an, angle ofy lessthan 360', wherebyfthesupply air. streams willbe delivered laterally from said element12 collective, lyin the form of a sector ofsany desired angular'I limits; depending upon tithe collective angularextenti of {said} channels.v Y Y v If the channels 14v` extend.radiallyl from! afco'mmonr point; the elementllztmay beef-Fairy desiredshapezintplane Howevenif said channels extend, collectivelythrough out 360, the element 12 preferably will be of circular shape in plan, while if said channels extend, collectively,

throughout an angle of less than 360, said element 12 preferably will be of sector-shape in plan.

In any instance where the channels 14 radiate from a common point, said channels preferably are closed at their inner ends and are open only at their outer ends, whereby the supply air streams flow only laterally outward from the element 12.

Regardless of whether the channels 14 radiate from a common point, or are disposed parallel, or substantially parallel, to each other, they may be inclined forwardly and outwardly relative `to the direction of flow of the supply air against the element. 12, whereby the supply air streams desirably are directed somewhat forwardly as well as laterally outward from said element 12. This, however, is not essential, since the channels 14 may extend perpendicularly to the direction of ow of the supply air against the element 12 with the result that the supply air streams will flow directly laterally from said element 12.

While it is not essential that the element 12 be provided with any channels other than the rearwardly opening channels 14, said element preferably is also provided, between the channels 14, with forwardly opening channels 16 which are open at their outer ends to provide for free ow of enclosure air laterally outward from the area in front of the element 12 directly into the spaces between the supply air streams. Obviously, by providing the element 12 with the forwardly opening channels 16, a considerably greater proportionate amount of enclosure air becomes entrained by and mixed with any given ,volurne of supply air than would be the case in the absence of said channels 16.

The element 12 may be `formed from any suitable material in` any desired manner. However, from a practical and economical production standpoint, said element preferably is formed from sheet metal or other suitable mercial form of an air outlet device embodying the feae tures of the invention. In said device the element 12 is of circular shape in end elevation and is disposed within an open-ended, hollow, forwardly flaring member 18 through which supply air is delivered forwardly into an enclosure. ative to `the longitudinal axis of the member 18 and is of a diameter at least `as great as the diameter of the smaller or rear end of said member 18, and has its rear marginal portion disposed closely adjacent to said member 18, so that `it intercepts and deects laterally outward all supply air flowing through said member 18. Moreover, said element 12 is provided not only with laterally spaced apart radially extending,V rearwardly opening channels 14 which are open at their outer ends, whereby the supply air is divided into laterally spaced apart, radially outward flowing streams, but alsois provided, betweeny the channels 14, with radially` extending channels 16 which open forwardlyand are open at their outer ends to provide for free ow therethrough of enclosure air from the area in front of the element 12 laterally outward directly into the spaces between the supply air streams to replace the enclosure air entrained by said supply` air streams.

Since any given air outlet device is designed to have delivered therethrough a certain volume of air within a given period of time in order properly to heat, cool or ventilate a particular enlosure space served by the device, it follows that in any air outlet device constructed in accordance `with the invention, the widths and depths of un:A channels 14 are such Vas to` permit the required The element 12 is disposed transversely relamount of supply air to ow through said channels to satisfy the requirements of the device. Similarly, the widths and depths of the channels 16 are such as to per mith the required amountof enclosure air to flow from the area in front of the element 12 into the spaces between the supply air streams to provide for mixing of a desired proportionate amount of enclosure air with any given amount of supply air. In this connection it will be apparent that by varying the cross sectional areas of the channels 14 and 16, the proportionate amount of enclosure air that will be entrained by and mixed with any given amount of supply air may be varied within a considerable range.` For example, as illustrated in Figs. l to 10 of the drawings, the cross sectional areas of the channels 14 are approximately equal to the cross sectional areas of the channels 16 and as a consequence any given amount of supply air delivered through the channels 14 will entrain and effect mixing therewith of a certain proportionate amount of enclosure air. On the other hand, as illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawings, the channels 16 are of greater cross sectional areas than the channels 14, thus providing for entrainment and mixing of a greater proportionate amount of enclosure air with any given amount of supply air than in the example first stated.

Obviously, in varying the cross sectional areas of the channels 14 and 16, the cross sectional sizes and shapes of said channels may be varied in many different ways.

According to the Figs. 8 to 1l embodiment of the invention, the element 12 is formed from a strip of sheet material which first is pleated transversely to provide the channels`14 and 16 and which then is bent edgewise into circular form while inclined relative to the axis about which it is bent. Said strip thus is developed into the element 12 having the circular, forwardly flaring form illustrated wherein the pleats are opened like a fan and the channels 14 and 16 progressively increase in widths outwardly.

In bending the aforesaid pleated strip into circular form there is formed in the element 12 a central opening which, if not closed, would permit supply air to ow directly forwardly through the center of said element. Accordingly, said central opening is closed `by a core member 20 of forwardly tapering, frustro-conical form which may either be inserted into said element 12 after the same has been formed or about which the pleated strip may be bent to form said element 12.

At the rear or larger end of the core member 2) isan outwardly extending `flange 22 which overlaps the inner, rear, marginal portion of the element 12, while suitably fastened to the smaller or front end of said core member, as by means of a bolt 24, is a disk 26 the marginal portion of which overlaps the inner, front, marginal portion of the element 12. The inner portion of the element 12 thus is confined between the ange 22 and the marginal portion of the disk 26 and thereby the forwardly flaring frustro-conical form of said element 12 is rigidly maintained.

Assisting in maintaining the forwardly flaring, frustroconical form of the element 12 is a ring 28 which is disposed against the outer, rear, marginal portion of said element and which has a forwardly directed marginal flange 30 which overlaps the rear portion of the outer edge of said element.

The ring 28 may be welded or otherwise suitably fastened directly to the element 12 and either said ring or the element 12 may have Welded or otherwise fastened thereto tongues 32 to be engaged, by rotation of the element 12 relative to the member 18, in sockets 34 formed in the member 18, to removably mount said element 12 in said member 18. Alternatively and as shownin Fig. 11, the ring 28 may be suitably fastened to a plurality of radially extending strut plates 36 which may be disposed in certain of the channels 16 and which may be welded or otherwise suitably fastened at their inner ends to the core member 20 and which may have the tongues 32 welded or otherwise suitably fastened to their outer end portions. In either case the structure is essentially the same, but for practical manufacturing reasons and to increase the rigidity of the structure, use of the strut plates 36 is preferred.

To assistin deecting the supply air laterally outwardly, as well as to promote diffusion of the supply air and mixing of enclosure air therewith, there may be provided, to extend outwardly from the element 12 at the front end thereof, a forwardly flaring member 38. In addition and for the same purposes, another flaring member or members 40 may be provided to extend outwardly from the element 12 at one or more points between the front and the rear ends of said element. Obviously, the ilaring members 38 and 40 may be fastened directly to the element 12 or to the strut plates 36 if the latter are used. Other open-ended, hollow, forwardly aring members 42 may, if desired, be suitably mounted in front of the element 12 to insure flow of enclosure air into the channels 16 from a relatively extensive area in front of said element 12.

Obviously, by dividing the supply air into a number of separate, laterally spaced apart streams, any given amount of supply air will quickly entrain and effect mixing therewith of an exceptionally large proportionate amount of enclosure air to compensate rapidly for any temperature differential between the supply air and the enclosure air.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that the features of the invention and their advantages will be clearly understood. It is desired to point out, however, that while only certain specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, the same is readily capable of various other specifically different embodiments within its spirit and scope as dened in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An element to be disposed transversely across the path of ow of supply air delivered into an enclosure to intercept the supply air and to deflect it laterally outwardly, said element having, with reference to the direction of ow of the supply air, rearwardly opening forwardly closed radially extending channels which are open at their outer ends whereby supply air delivered against said element is divided into separate laterally spaced apart radially outward flowing streams, said element having therein a central opening, a core member disposed in and closing said opening against ow of air therethrough, and means providing flanges at the front and the rear ends of said core member firm with respect to the latter and extending outwardly therefrom over and in constant firm engagement with the adjacent front and rear end portions, respectively, of said element to maintain said element and said core member firmly in assembly with each other.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 in which the core member is of frustro-conical form and tapers forwardly and in which the channeled element is of forwardly aring form.

3. An element to be disposed transversely across the path of ow of supply air delivered into an enclosure to intercept the supply air and to deect it laterally outwardly, said element having, with reference to the direction of ow of the supply air, rearwardly opening forwardly closed radially extending channels which are open at their outer ends whereby supply air delivered against said element is divided into separate laterally spaced apart radially outward flowing streams, said element having therein a central opening, a core member disposed in and closing said opening against flow of air therethrough, a flange at one end of said core member extending outwardly therefrom over one end portion of said element, and a disk fastened to said core member at its other end and extending outwardly therefrom over the other end portion of said element to maintain said element and said core member in assembly with each other.

4. An element to be disposed transversely across the path of flow of supply air delivered into an enclosure to intercept the supply air aud to deflect it laterally outwardly, said element having, with reference to the direction of flow of the supply air, rearwardly opening forwardly closed radially extending channels which are open at their outer ends whereby supply air delivered against said element is divided into separate laterally spaced apart radially outward owing streams, said element further having radially extending forwardly opening rearwardly closed channels which are open at their outer ends and which are located intermediate said rst mentioned channels, respectively, for flow of enclosure air therethrough into the spaces between the streams of the supply air, strut members disposed in certain of said forwardly opening channels and fastened to said element, and air deflecting elements carried by said strut members to assist in directing the air streams laterally outward.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 915,178 Hillyard Mar. 16, 1909 1,913,980 Fisher lune 13, 1933 2,301,045 Heath Nov. 3, 1942 2,400,617 Wheller May 21, 1946 2,525,157 Trane Oct. 10, 1950 2,552,236 Trane et al. May 8, 1951 2,603,141 Phillips et al. July 15, 1952 2,656,782 Labus Oct. 27, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 726,483 Germany Oct. 14, 1942 

